The Penn's Grove record., 1887-11-05
DONE WITH LAREDO.
A Mexican Mother and Her Child
Grasping Nature of u Mexican
Landlord.

Laredo to walk around the streets, and
peer into houses In a way which we
would bitterly resent In any one who
came to our country for the same pur.
pose; but as 1t is a time honOred custom
Of American travellers, we undertook
1t bravely, though l must confess that
l felt halt ashamed.
l did try to hire a guide, but as we
wanted to start out long before any of
those who served in that capacity were
awake or would rouse, we relied upon
our own wits and started out. We
found several churches, but some of
them were so old the little woman
gathered up her skirts in disgust and
declared she wouldn't enter, and the
Others were so new that she decided
that they were not worth seeing; but
early as was the hour, there were
numbers of Mexican women of all
classes going into or coming out of
them, and l must confess to seeing
several that l thought beautiful, with
lovely dark eyes, luxuriant black hair
a superb walk, but my little woman
declared that their compilations were
like Old paste and their forms like
cows, 30 we did not quite agree, and
turned our steps down a narrow street
where she Dol uttered an exclamation
of delight. She had found a babyl 1t
Is astonishing what a sort of Masonic
attraction a baby causes between wo-
men. They don't know why, but so it
is, and in a moment the little Ameri-
cano was seated on a rude bench hold
ing the baby and talking Volapuk to it.
The mother and baby both understood,
and both smiled with delight.
BY and by l suggested that she leave
the baby and come back to the hotel
for breakfast, but no; she was gong to
stay there and see the house-the in
terror; and she did. The shy Mexican
woman took her in and set her down
on a cot made Of rustic wood and raw
hide, with wood mattresses and pill
lows, and with coverings Of red satin,
and these covered again with that beau
tlful hand made lace which none but
these women can make. There were
three immense campior wood trunks,
studded with brass nails, and from
these the woman took out piles Of
snowy linen undergarments, all elab-
orately worked in exquisite patterns,
some of the work being over a foot
deep.
She made the visitors understand
that these we're in part done by herself
and part by her ancestors as tar back
as four generations, and she delighted
the little woman by making her a
present OF a napkin with the coat of
arms Of Mexico worked in this fashion,
which is done by pulling out threads
and sewing others in 80 that the pat
tern is formed in open work. The little
woman retaliated by taking of a gold
locket and tying it around the baby's
neck.
While we were talking with her-=I
say talking because we certainly all did
talk, though no n but the baby
seemed to take real comfort from the
conversati0n-we heard the most IN
earthly shrieks and creams and groans
and shouts approaching. The little
woman turned pale, but the Mexican
laughed, and as we neared the door we
saw an OK cart coming down the ill
paved, dirty and deserted street. 1t
was Of the most primitive construction
and the wheels were simply sections Of
logs with axles of wood, and these
wheels turning on those axles, which
never heard Of grease, made that awful
noise, and the drivers shouts to his
xen added the touch of the master.
We seized this occasion to leave and
went back to the hotel, having seen all
there was In Laredo and finding it
hardly worth the trouble. We asked
for breakfast and found it wasn't GUS
tomaryl But we got ONE chocolate
and bread, and at 400 got some soup,
some mutton stewed with peas, some
beans boiled first, then fried in suet,
and some sweetmeats which were very
good. We decided to 60 on to Mon.
terey that evening, and SO asked for
our bill. The price was 81 a day for
one person, but 81. so apiece for two,
because 1t always makes more work for
two than one.
Laredo is a nice enough border town,
but l think n appreciates it more the
further he gets away. The type is dis
Mexican. with just enough of
Yankee about it to spoil it for q Mexi-
can town, and not enough for q good
American M However, it may grow
up with the country If Texas develops
As it ought.